THE FINAL BATTLE

After 21 days of breath taking football, it’s time for the Final of the UEFA Euro ‘08.
The tactical battle between the two teams will unfold tonight at the Ernst-Happel Stadion in Vienna. The epicenter of this epic clash will undoubtedly be the midfield, which will be adorned by the best of players in the world.
Ballack, Podolski and Schweinsteiger will lead the German blitzkrieg while Xavi, Senna, Silva, Fabregas and Iniesta will forge ahead for the Spanish armada.

Germany has raw power. Up front, their hitman is the lethal Miroslav Klose, who’ll be ready to pounce on any ball that evades the Spanish defenders. Ballack and Podolski are always around if Klose misses. Nonetheless, the Germans have to contend with a highly efficient Spanish defense. The solid Puyol will bring with him a truckload of experience while the young and sprightly Sergio Ramos gives them the pace to tackle the German attackers.
Yet again at a final the worry for Germany is their Inspirational Captain Michael Ballack who is plagued by an injury and hence his fate hangs in the balance. But Bastian Schweinsteiger has off late shown that he too can produce creative play in the midfield and the return of Torsten Frings will undoubtedly give them a boost.
Another possible chink in their armour is Jens Lehmann. Age seems to have caught up with this goalie, having let in 6 goals and looked patchy at most times. He will be faced by a Spanish side that has been on a brutal, incessant attack.

Spain though have a minor worry in this regard, David Villa, their top scorer is reduced to a spectator, courtesy an injury picked up in the previous match. Thus, El Nino of Spanish Football, Fernando Torres is expected to shoulder the responsibility till the arrival of Daniel Guiza towards the latter stages. But Torres who had a brilliant season for Liverpool has seemed lackluster over the past fortnight, foiling a number of decent chances that came his way. It’s time for him to come good.
Nevertheless the Luis Aragones coached side has an arsenal brimming with confidence and rearing to go. Xavi Hernandez, Marcos Senna and David Silva are in sublime form. Not only can they set up Torres with precise crosses, they have the ammunition to go for goal themselves.
And then there is the ‘gold mine’ of a Spanish bench, boasting of the likes of Francesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso!
Cesc Fabregas who has primarily started from the bench so far is likely to feature in the starting line up on Sunday night (ahead of Danny Guiza), with Spain packing their midfield and Torres the lone striker.
Fabregas brings with him a youthful exuberance and zest. He has rejuvenated the midfield with his second half cameos and put in an excellent performance against the Russians. With his pin point accuracy and uncanny eye for the goal, he could well change the fate of the match!
Finally, there’s Iker Cassillas, the Captain and goalie who has thus far been a wall in front of the goal. Having let in only 3 goals through the course of the tournament and saving two penalties in the shoot out against Italy, he has been Spain’s unsung hero. If España can continue their current form, there’s definitely no stopping the La Furia Roja from sweeping Europe!

History though has an obvious favourite, Germany, who are putting in their 6th appearance in the Final and are looking for their 4th victory. For Spain, the wait has been long, and their history as chokers doesn’t help either. They have made it to the Final twice and their only victory came way back in 1964!

So tonight as a record number of television viewers watch and fans pack themselves into Fan zones and the Stadium at Vienna, will the Germans make it title number six or will the Spanish Bull Run continue???!!!

WHAT'S COOKING IN VIENNA TONIGHT???

Thursday, 26th June ’08

It’s the morn of the second Euro semifinal, the versatile Russians take on the… well, perennial under achievers, Spain.
It’s not the typical, ‘clash of the Titans’ that one expects at this stage of the tournament. The Russians are the clear underdogs having a 1-5 win loss record against the Spaniards. Moreover, they have even lost the three previous meetings between the two sides.
Yet, why am I not surprised that a considerable number of people are ready to bet on Guus Hiddink’s side!

In a poll conducted after this semi final face-off was decided, Russia was the favourite amongst 40% of the people. This after the very same side (sans Andrei Arshavin) was thrashed 4-1 by the very same opponents in the opening match.
Perhaps it’s their Manager (read Magician), Dutchman Guus Hiddink who has previously worked his highly successful brand of magic with the Dutch, South Koreans and the Aussies. He has instilled in the Russians the confidence which has seen them feasting on other European powerhouses.
England was their appetizer in the Qualifying round!
Sweden was gobbled down without much effort and next van Basten’s ruthless Dutchmen were also downed.
But after that fine exhibition of attacking play that formed the main course, do Guus Hiddink’s men still have the stomach for a Spanish desert or have they now bitten off more than what they can chew???

Well, the answer to that question is within Andrei Arshavin. Suspended for the first two matches of the tournament, he came back with a bang to impress one and all. The Zenit St. Petersburg playmaker, who has already tasted club success, having tucked in both the Russian Championship and the UEFA Cup, is pivotal in his side’s success.
And then there is Roman Pavlyuchenko, the striker with a humungous appetite for goals. Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko along with the likes of Zhirkov and Akinfeev who has let only two shots defeat him, make up the crux of a formidable team.

So, as the Russians unleash their attacking football tonight in Vienna, they not only go in with a substantial backing but also as the team which has won the hearts of many fans. Russia has been the revelation of the tournament! But the question is whether in this battle of the Reds, can Russia make minced meat of the La Furia Roja???

THE HOT LIST

It's pretty obvious why guys these days are glued to the TV screen but what about the ladies??? The EURO 2008 along with its nail-biting and cliffhanger matches has its fair share of brawn and million-dollar men sweating it out to lift the cup.

Here is my take on the 10 best looking men in this year's football fiesta.

1.Cristiano Ronaldo

2.Cesc Fabregas

3.Fredrik Ljungberg

4.Xabi Alonso

5.David Silva

6.Michael Ballack

7.Miroslav Klose

8.David Villa

9.Robin Van Persie

10.Iker Casillas

YOUNG STARS OF EURO '08

Euro '08 is underway and the spotlight shifts to Austria and Switzerland for the next three weeks. A tournament of this magnitude always throws up new talents and this time it's going to be no different as each nation has it's fair share of talented and hungry youngsters. So, while the Big Bosses of world football watch , the young brigade is all set to sizzle before the big bucks begin to drizzle!

The following 6 players are our pick (pre-tournament) to dazzle this summer!

CRISTIANO RONALDO

Age : 23
Nationality : Portuguese
Club : Manchester United

Well, for starters, Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly the planet’s best midfielder today. If Portugal are to have any chance at all of winning this competition, it is essential for Ronaldo to be at his imperious best. He comes into this tournament after a hugely successful season at Manchester United, scoring an incredible 41 goals and setting up many others.

Anointed captain of his country recently, the Portuguese players will be looking up to Ronaldo for some sterling performances to lift and motivate them. Ronaldo’s pace, guile, goal-scoring prowess, and thunderous free-kicks will be useful armaments in the Portuguese arsenal.

Despite the rumours surrounding his future at Man United, you can be sure that this young maestro will be mature enough to concentrate on helping his country lift the Euro ’08 trophy this summer.

KARIM BENZEMA

Age : 20
Nationality : French
Club : Olympique Lyonnais

20-year old Karim Benzema is being touted as the next Zinedine Zidane. In an aging French team with quite a few players well past their sell-by date, Benzema could be the youthful spark that reignites the hopes of the Les Bleus this summer.

Courted by Europe’s finest clubs, it certainly looks like Benzema is heading for stardom in the near future. The Lyon forward is widely tipped to partner Thierry Henry up front for France in Euro 2008, and he could very well turn out to be the star of this summer’s tournament in Austria and Switzerland. The versatile Benzema can play up front or on either wing. However, he has been in lethal form as a striker, scoring 24 goals in 37 games for Lyon last season. Whichever position he plays, though, you can be sure that he’ll send ripples of excitement throughout Austria and Switzerland this summer.

CESC FABREGAS

Age : 21
Nationality : Spanish
Club : Arsenal

At 21 years of age, this Arsenal wonderkid was the PFA Young Player of the year and is currently amongst the best young talents in the world. Shipped to London from Barcelona at the age of 16, Cesc has grown and improved under the watchful eyes of Arsene Wenger. With a brilliant record for the junior Spanish side, (he was voted as Player of the tournament and also emerged top scorer in the FIFA Under- 17 Championship in 2003), Cesc comes into Euro ’08 with a lot of promise.

Yet, a lot of criticism has come his way because a section of the pundits believes that Cesc hasn’t been able to reproduce the same brilliance with the Spanish side as he has with the Gunners.

Nevertheless, we say that this attacking midfielder, blessed with prodigious skill, is here to stay. If Fabregas can recreate his ‘magic’ along with the likes of Alonso, Villa and Torres, Spain will emerge champions. So, here’s hoping Cesc will have a 'FAB'ulous tournament!

LUKA MODRIC

Age : 22
Nationality : Croatian
Club : Tottenham Hotspur

Fresh from his £16.5 million move to Tottenham Hotspur from Dinamo Zagreb, this young Croatian superstar is all set to show the world what he is capable of on the big stage. Highly talked about, Modric is arguably the Barclays’ Premier League’s finest import for next season. Tottenham fans will watch Modric with particular interest, and you can bet they’ll like what they see.

Modric will form the crux of the Croatian attack as they try to live up to their ‘dark horses’ tag in this summer’s European Championships. Modric's vision and passing have earned praise from many observers and he can play on the left side of midfield or as a playmaker behind the forwards. He has been consistent on the international stage, and was instrumental in Croatia’s 3-2 victory over England in the Qualifying round, which shut the door on England’s hopes for Euro 2008.

MIGUEL VELOSO

Age : 22
Nationality : Portuguese
Club : Sporting Lisbon

At 22 years of age, this versatile midfielder who comfortably play at both left and centre back has created quite a stir in footballing circles. Playing for Sporting Lisbon, Veloso has been instrumental in his clubs success. He has, in his as yet short international career impressed pundits with his skill and adaptability. Infact he is on Sir Alex Ferguson’s shopping list for this summer, who is hoping to rope in Veloso to join his Portugese compatriots Ronaldo and Nani at Old Trafford. Besides ManU, Arsenal, Liverpool and AC Milan have also set their sights on him. As a result, Euro ’08 is the key to deciding which way he is headed. With the very best of Europe vying for him,Veloso surely has his work cut out.

FERNANDO TORRES

Age : 24
Nationality : Spanish
Club : Liverpool

Liverpool’s wonder kid and the ‘El Niño’ of Spanish football is our pick to be atop the scorer’s sheet during this installment of Europe’s premier championship.

He comes in after a prolific season for the reds, during which his lethal strike partnership with StevieG struck fear in the heart of every European goalie.

At 24 years of age and with 24 goals in the premiership, this former Athletico Madrid star dons the national jersey brimming with confidence. In a Spanish side that lacks veteran striker, Raul Gonzalez, Torres will have to shoulder much of the responsibility up front. If he continues his prolific goal scoring form, perennial under achievers, Spain could well be Champions of Europe.

Having announced himself in England, we just have to wait and watch if he can ignite the same spark in Austria and Switzerland. Regardless of what happens at Euro ’08, Torres is undoubtedly amongst the best youngsters in the game today.

OF FOOTBALL, FANATISM AND FABREGAS!!!

Ninety minutes of pulsating action during which your living room could well have morphed into one of those roller coasters maneuvering gravity defying death drops, your plasma screen is a magic portal into a different astral plane, when even the best of friends can transform into foes and when … well, who even spoke of the girlfriend!
Football, the heartbeat of millions (and not to mention the blood pressure variation) is probably the most widely watched sport today. It has captured the imagination of people across all five continents …and even as we speak is gathering more fans.
But what we know as football today (soccer in America! :P), came into being 3000 years ago! Historians claim that references to a sport similar to today’s football has been made in several ancient civilizations including the Chinese and the Greek.
But the modern version, we are familiar with, was presented to us by the English, formally in 1863. Over the ensuing century it has transformed into a global industry with revenues soaring well over the eight figure mark. Footballers are modern day Gladiators and stadiums like the Santiago Bernabeu, Old Trafford, CampNou, Emirates etc. to name a few are on par with the Colloseum!
The popularity of the game has ensured that players / Gladiators have been elevated to demi-god status. Raul Gonzalez, Christiano Ronaldo, Kaka’ have a fan following that could put a good number of Hollywood celebs to shame. And talking about fame and fans who can forget David Beckham, the man who sends scissors around the world snapping with every snip of his famous goldie locks! And thus, with fans comes fanatism. A rather extreme version of idol worship, which has marred the game with a number of scuffles off the field. Hooliganism and racial slurs have unfortunately snaked their way in, leading to forgettable incidents across Europe. Amongst the more violent incidents include one in Italy where a policeman was fatally wounded in a clash between rival fans (rather fanatics). But FIFA, the governing body of football has put in place an effective programme to rid the game of such evils.
…And talking of football, let’s not forget the players who have stolen the hearts of millions of (read female) fans. It started with the likes of Platini, Gasgoine, and Linekar in the early days when football was brought home by the dawn of the television era; Zidane, Raul and Beckham took it to new heights towards the late nineties. Today a majority of the feminine population is football(er) aware. Athleticism, supreme skills and chocolate boy looks processed by these guys have sent their popularity soaring and the female fans swooning. An opinion pole amongst teenaged fans reveals Brazilian Kaka’ as the hot favourite while ManU’s Golden boy Christiano Ronaldo is not far behind. A considerable number have taken a liking for Stevie G and Chelsea’s Frank Lampard. Spaniards Xabi Alonso and David Villa also send quite a few hears fluttering. Arsenal midfielder Francesc Fabregas is breaking through the ranks (unfortunately a vast majority haven’t heard of him… yet!) But when the writer is his fan, it’s just got to be Fabregas all the way!!!

'RED' LETTER DAY AT THE LUZHNIKI

As the Church Bell tolled at midnight in Moscow, one side prepared to face the death knell at the Luzhniki Stadium. As the final few minutes of extra time elapsed , the pulse rose, tension heightened and the eighty thousand strong crowd braced themselves for the ultimate gamble- the Penalty Shootout.As the rain gods joined the crowd at the Luzhniki, twelve brave men, masters of the game, lined up. Penalties had, in the past, elevated some players to demi-god status, yet, others had been dumped into oblivion. The Red Devils vs The Blues, the All- English final of the Champions League had reached it’s climax. Carlos Tavez took the first one for Manchester United and sent it past Petr Cech with clinical precision, while Michael Ballack did the honours for Chelsea. Carrick and Belletti followed suit, respectively. Christiano Ronaldo then stepped up for the Red Devils and as fate would have it, the PFA Player of the Year and United’s top scorer missed! The Cup was ever so nearer to making Stamford Bridge it’s home. But, fate still fancied a say in the script and Mr. Chelsea and skipper John Terry slipped, only to send his attempt wide of the target. Chelsea supporters couldn’t bear to watch. … And agony it would be for Chelsea as Nicolas Anelka’s shot was saved by Edwin van der Saar! Manchester United had secured their third European title.
Earlier in the evening, both teams walked on to the field to rapturous applause, and before long the showpiece of European football had begun. United wasted no time in taking the game to Chelsea, with the ‘Holy Trinity’ of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez spearheading their constant waves of attack. Their persistence finally paid off in the 26th minute, when a neat move following a throw-in was masterfully rounded off by Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring a thumping header past a baffled Petr Cech. But Cech was in top form later on, saving superbly a diving header from Carlos Tevez, and a long-range shot from Michael Carrick immediately after. Just when it seemed United were strolling into half-time one goal to the good, Michael Essien’s speculative long-range shot, after heavy deflections off Vidic and Ferdinand, made its way to Frank Lampard, who finished coolly past Edwin van der Sar for Chelsea’s equalizer. Chelsea, having been distinctly second best throughout the first half, were undoubtedly the happier team heading into half-time level on scores.
But Chelsea came off the blocks in style in the second half, giving the United defence a tough time coping with their attack. Nevertheless, United’s solid centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic did well to keep the Chelsea attackers at bay. Essien, Ballack and Drogba all went close to scoring for Chelsea, but none of them could apply the finishing touch that could have given Chelsea a deserved lead.
With the match destined to go into extra-time, Ryan Giggs came on as a substitute late in the second half for United, making his 759th appearance for the club, thereby eclipsing a record previously held by Sir Bobby Charlton.
With scores level at the sound of the final whistle, both teams got ready for another intense 30 minutes of extra-time.The breakneck pace was kept up in extra-time with Frank Lampard’s shot hitting the underside of the bar, and Ryan Giggs’ effort denied by a stunning off-the-line clearance by Chelsea skipper John Terry. The otherwise flawless match was marred by an on-field fracas, which led to the sending-off of Didier Drogba. Neither team succeeded in breaking the deadlock, and the match went into penalties.
Thus culminated a truly exceptional match which reaffirmed Manchester United as one of Europe’s top clubs and Sir Alex Ferguson secured a cherished double for the season. An inconsolable John Terry led his team to receive their runners-up medal, a medal that obviously none of them wished to possess. In contrast, a jubilant Rio Ferdinand, along with Ryan Giggs, who were joint captains through the season, proudly held aloft the Champions League trophy for the world to admire and applaud. Hail Manchester United!!!